JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A day after former Speaker of the House Catherine Hanaway rolled out her 2016 gubernatorial campaign, State Auditor Tom Schweich – another possible contender for the Republican nomination – sought to remind voters of another, more urgent concern: 2014.
In a statement Tuesday, Schweich announced a robust campaign team supporting his 2014 effort, featuring former U.S. Senators Jack Danforth and Jim Talent as honorary campaign chairmen. The entire campaign will be chaired by State Sen. John Lamping, a St. Louis Republican who is shying away from his own reelection run, the campaign said.
“We have put together a team that truly reflects my commitment to continue serving as the people’s watchdog over state government, and I am honored to be working with such a distinguished and experienced group,” Schweich said in a statement.
Former U.S. Ambassador Sam Fox, a major donor to Schweich, will serve as Schweich’s finance chairman.
His attention to Hanaway, if any, was subtle. “My focus, and the focus of my campaign team, is to continue promoting transparency and accountability in state government, protecting taxpayers, and rooting out fraud, waste, and abuse,” he said.
Still, Schweich’s campaign has the look and feel of being about auditor in name only. He has retained Capital Enhancement (led by Karen Mohan Day, who used to fundraise for Hanaway) to lead his fundraising operation, as well as Washington, D.C.-based FP 1 Strategies (led by former George W. Bush political director Terry Nelson) to handle media production. Their work will be supplemented by pollster American Viewpoints, which has worked for most successful Missouri Republican candidates in recent years.
Schweich has urged other Republicans to refrain from focusing on 2016 until 2014 is under their belt. While he appears safe for reelection (no significant Democrat appears to be willing to challenge him), Democrats – led by likely Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Koster – have pledged to renew a focus on taking back seats in the General Assembly.
Hanaway, in a statement on Monday, said she felt the need to enter the race now in order to start building a real challenge to Koster’s fundraising and organizing strength.
“We can no longer sit idly by as the de-facto Democrat nominee continues to raise money and build his organization,” she said. “I am starting now so that we can build the largest and best grassroots campaign in Missouri history.”